Discover Georgenthal: Landscape and Local History

Georgenthal brings together two distinct themes: a protected landscape shaped by lakes and a stream, and a local history that dates back to the mid-18th century. The historic highway between Berlin and Frankfurt (Oder) also features in the history of the village. If you would like to combine nature with traces of the past, these themes offer different perspectives on Georgenthal.

Lakes and a landscape shaped by the Ice Age

The “Matheswall, Schmielen- und Gabelsee” FFH area has EU No. DE 3551-301 and state No. 067. It covers 187 hectares, extends about 4.2 kilometres from southwest to northeast, and is up to about 950 metres wide. The area is in Märkisch-Oderland district, in the municipality of Falkenhagen (Mark), Brandenburg. It stretches from the Georgenthal district via Gabelsee and Schmielensee to Schwarzer See, east of Falkenhagen (Mark).

Near Georgenthal, the source area of the Platkower Mühlenfließ is part of the FFH area. Its course further on lies in a meltwater channel that cut into the glacial ground moraine plateau. The area also includes Kalksee, Gabelsee, and the Großer and Kleiner Schmielensee. The landscape can therefore be described not only by its lakes, but also by the landforms shaped by water.

Local history and traces along the highway

Before 1756, manor owner Georg Abraham von Hohendorff established an outlying estate in a valley hollow and named it Georgenthal. It was three kilometres south of the Falkenhagen manor house. By order of Frederick II dated 3 February 1756, foreign families who were not Prussian were settled there, among others. From 1776, Georgenthal was referred to as a colony and had its own Schulze (village headman).

Transport routes also shaped the history of the village. Around 1800, the highway from Berlin to Frankfurt (Oder) was routed between Heinersdorf and Treplin via Georgenthal and Petershagen. The detour was created because Madam Blum, the general lessee of Falkenhagen, demanded too high a price for the land to be ceded. A highway toll house was built in Georgenthal around 1800 as part of the road construction. Another historic landmark stands on the B 5: the listed milestone at kilometre 20.1.

The former “Grundkrug” inn in Georgenthal is now used as a holiday farm. A former inn is therefore also part of the village’s present-day use.

Accommodation for your stay

Ferienhof Georgenthal has six holiday apartments. Check current availability before booking. This lets you connect your accommodation choice with the things that interest you about Georgenthal: its protected landscape, lakes, and local history.

A wider look at Falkenhagen (Mark)

In the wider destination of Falkenhagen (Mark), there are bathing areas at Schwarzer See, Gabelsee, and Mühlenteich; water quality is tested regularly. There is also a dog beach in Falkenhagen. This information concerns Falkenhagen (Mark) as the wider destination and does not necessarily refer to local facilities in Georgenthal.

For hikers interested in history and technology, the Falkenhagener Heide offers a different focus: there they can discover buildings and ruins of the military-owned arms factory “Muna Ost/Seewerk, Falkenhagen.” The facility was built from 1939 to spring 1945 and was partly reinforced with bunkers. Another way to explore the wider destination is the circular cycling route from Alt Rosenthal via Regenmantel to Falkenhagen (Mark).

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Reitwein, Zechin, Zeschdorf, Neulewin, Gusow-Platkow, Treplin, Vierlinden, Hönow.

Go to the wider travel overview: Märkisch-Oderland.